Gaming News

The wheels of the hype train stop for no one, especially for the retro gaming folk, as we're constantly treated to game, after game, after game. As you all know, we've been getting a number of remake hacks and brand-new titles in the past year, and it looks like 2023 is gonna be the same, if not a lot more exciting. So sit back, relax, and let's tear through a few titles that might tickle your fancy. 

THE LAST NINJA

Let's take a trip to 1987 where System 3 released one of the greatest action-adventure games ever to be made available for the C64, The Last Ninja. It was a great time for this title since it did make its way onto a variety of other consoles. But finally, in 2023, this legendary title is making its way to the Atari XL/XE. 

You follow the exploit of the Ninja Armakuni on his journey to the palace of the evil shogun, Kunitoki, to assassinate him, avenge his clan, and retrieve the sacred scrolls.

Very anime and very badass. The original game combined adventure, exploration, puzzle solving, and ninja-based combat. So in terms of mechanics, you can expect something familiar with a modern port. This version of Last Ninja is being created for the Atari XL/XE by Jakus Husak and will be a complete port of the BBC Micro version, which is good news all around. So if Slain Baddies from the Shadows is your kind of weekend getaway, then you just might be The Last Ninja.

CREEPING ME OUT HEX NIGHT

Mixel's upcoming Amiga platformer Creeping Me Out Hex Night is looking to be an absolute banger. It's a scorpion engine-created platformer that doesn't just feature complex levels, but it also delivers an intriguing story and a whole lot of action that one would expect from a game of the genre.

The game's creator has just released a new demo, which he says Features much better game performance, and now works smoothly on A1200s without the use of Fast Ram.

If you're interested, imagine a combination of Turrican, Castlevania, and a little bit of Addams family thrown into the mix.

You can expect a variety of playable characters, passwords, save game support, enhanced graphics, and a huge campaign with hours of gameplay, it's a nice, fun, challenging adventure that's worth your time. If you don't mind diving into the weird and quirky.

WIZARD OF WOR

If you're a fan of Pac-Man but aren't really fond of the cutesy roundish aesthetic, then this arcade classic just might pique your interest. The 1980s classic arcade game, Wizard of Wor was quite the hit back in the day and also appeared in other systems like the Atari 8-bit, Atari 2600, and 5200. Bally Astrocade, and of course the C64.

Right now we're looking to get its enhanced edition for the Commodore Plus/4, and it is looking pretty damn good. A lot of care was put into making sure that this release stays as faithful to the original as possible.

The game looks, plays, and sounds like a classic and features all the action-packed two-player monster shooting fund that most retro gaming veterans will remember. Hey, it's never too late to fall in love again, so why not with the Wizard of Wor?

Check the video here:

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Once again, we're getting a whole truckload of retro games to satisfy your old-school cravings focusing on the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum, our good game devs have been hard at work, mastering their craft and cranking out some quality titles

If you think about it, endless runners are always great-fast-paced and action-packed, but then again, so are sweet metroidvanias bringing all the mechanics that require the best tactics. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. 

NICO'S RUN

First, we got one of the best endless runner games we've seen in a long while. Nico's Run by OldSkoolCoder is a brand new C64 game based on the Chrome Easter Egg Game T-Rex! and it's currently been entered into the Phaze101's Retro Programmers inside Group or RPI Game Jam.

The original game was that fun little Easter Egg on Chrome featuring a T-Rex dinosaur: Having no wifi was, at least, bearable. This game, however, doesn't just feature obstacles like before but is also themed around the creator's two dogs "Nico" and "Aston".

According to OldskoolCoder, it's also thanks to the viewers who helped chime in, building a brand new game about the good of Nico trying to run away from his brother Aston-who just won't leave him alone. Sounds relatable. We always love a good story, and given how it all started, Nico's Run looks quite promising

LESTER

This time we're looking at an upcoming C64 title courtesy of KnifeGrinder that's a tribute to the classic game, Bounder, an old-school title that came out in 1985, developed by Gremlin Graphics. Lester is a high-quality metroidvania for the C64 that puts you in control of the AR2020, a robot sent to liberate a space station taken over by you guessed it, an evil Al. 

The creator says "Lester takes inspiration from modern MSX Metroidvanias like Ghost and Minighost, and the old Kanami's productions like The maze of Galious. It originally started as a Hello World project, filling with the TRSE tutorial. Within three years, it became a graphic adventure engine, a Zelda-like engine, a single-screen platform engine, an attempt to convert mini ghosts, and then a standalone game." The game features an entire space station to explore over 60 rooms of Metroidvania action, special powers, 11 tracks of music, and so much more.

If you happen to have a Commodore 64 just lying around, then Lester might be right for you. 

RAMIRO EL VAMPIRO IV

The Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum have a new title in town and it brings all the sides scrolling. Goodness, you could want in an adventure. The Mojon twins just dropped the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum game of Ramiro El Vampiro IV, A game that puts you in control of Ramiro the Vampire.

On a quest to collect some ancient scripture from an ancient pyramid. We're getting a game that features high-quality music and well-designed levels set with an Egyptian theme. It features multiple enemy types, such as bats and skeletons, moving platforms, deadly traps, and challenging gameplay.

That's sure to bring out the side. Scrolling badass in every game room. So if you wanna help out Ramiro El Vampiro in beating up a Pharaoh, then this might be a game you'd wanna dive into. See you at the catacombs!

Check the video here:

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As a tribute to the Rolling Thunder series, Rolling Bird functions as an 8 Bit Killer for its genre, merged by compatibility with the controllers.

Although, there are some problems with the game, because of the rogue-like nature of the title, as the whole level scheme changes, and there is no way to detect the enemies’ movement or placement.

The enemies can shoot while crouching, and going into the doors means seeing them as a crowd; but because of their touch-free-ness, they won’t hurt the player through the progress.

And since it’s a modern version of Rolling Thunder, the game notifies the player when the special weapon is running out of ammo, increasing the pace of the game to proceed as fast as possible.

However, you have to utilize your ultimate endeavor to beat the game, since it’s really a difficult title, especially for modern players. You cannot shoot upwards, and even diagonally, and doing so in the air is impossible! So do not forget to make use of the two-tiered layout of the levels!

Links to get the product:

Steam; Itch

Watch the complete walkthrough by the developer himself:

New year, new you, and hey, new games! The retro side of gaming will always have a thick dummy treasure trove that offers a lot of titles for everyone's taste. And while 2022 gave us a great offering of platformers, brawlers, and shooters, this year is looking promising from the get-go.

As always, we're starting the year by hitting the ground running action at its finest, just the way you like it. If you were planning to start things slowly, you'll have to wait a bit because this week, we're kicking a lot of ass. Responsibly, of course.

SCORCH

Now, they say there's beauty in simplicity and that's pretty much true. The same applies to games that employ a bit of action. As simple as they come, this new Atari XL/XE release is looking to encourage players to use a bit of imagination while using heavy machinery. Scorch is a very nice Scorched Earth clone developed by Pirx with help from Pecusx and Miker. It isn't just a multiplayer game with up to 6 players, but a battle royale that uses the power of physics.

You wipe out your opponent by working out the correct trajectory of your Baby Missile and making sure it actually hits something. It's a game that requires a bit of strategy, and you'll definitely find yourself, well, SCORCHED, if you decide to run and gun.

GREEN BERET

It's about time we showed our high school science teachers some appreciation. Now, for some side-scrolling action! The game Rush 'n Attack or Green Beret (to avoid a bit of controversy) was an action arcade game released by Konami in 1985. Just like the time, it reflected the Cold War setting while showing a surprising amount of brutality--seeing the player use a knife or even a flamethrower to dispatch enemies.

It was an absolute classic for the arcade and 8-bit ports such as the Amstrad or C64. If you were a fan, you'll be happy to know that Dante Mendes just gave it an update that's perfect for the Amiga. This more modern version doesn't just feature a great rendition of the classic soundtrack, but it also has 2 selectable difficulty levels, minor improvements, and a whole lot more.

So if you wanna go back in time and make that Cold War a bit hotter, then it's time to get your green Beret on the actual soldier, not the hat. 

IMPOSSIBLE MISSION 3

Yes. Impossible Mission 3. I know what you're thinking and no, this has nothing to do with Tom Cruise. Well, maybe.

Regarded as one of the best games for multiple systems, the original Impossible Mission was released in 1984. Dennis Caswell developed and Epyx published. It's a tense platformer where it's a race against time to reassemble and decrypt the password to Atombender's control room, while also avoiding killer robots.

This much-awaited sequel will be available for the Commodore 64 and will likely come with all the nice modern improvements that gamers crave. 

It's also worth noting that this will be an officially licensed sequel through Icon64, and it'll be built completely from scratch, so definitely worth looking out for, especially if you're a fan of action-packed sleuthing retro style. 

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